Since pitching two outstanding games after returning from a two-year major league hiatus, Skaggs struggled for the fourth straight game in the Angels’ 7-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Skaggs gave up four runs – on five walks – in just four innings.

Since he pitched 12 1/3 scoreless innings in his first two games after spending most of two years rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Skaggs has allowed 19 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings.

In his latest outing, the left-handed Skaggs was facing a tough challenge before the game even began. The Blue Jays have a power-laden right-handed hitting lineup, in a hitter-friendly ballpark.

Skaggs didn’t help himself with the walks, though. He issued three walks in a span of four batters in the Blue Jays’ two-run third.

The hit in between was not his fault, though. Edwin Encarnacion dropped a blooper into shallow left-center. It appeared to be closer to Mike Trout than to left fielder Nick Buss, but Buss dove for it while Trout hung back. Buss came up just short.

Although that hit was not well struck, it was also no doubt frustrating because Encarnacion had been behind 0-2.

Skaggs gave up a hit on an 0-2 pitch to Darwin Barney leading off the game, and a double on a 1-2 pitch to Kevin Pillar leading off the fourth. His walk to Josh Donaldson in the third came after he had gotten ahead 0-2.

The only bright spots for the Angels were provided by Buss and Andrelton Simmons.

Buss hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot in the second inning against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. That briefly put the Angels up 2-1.

Simmons had three hits, continuing a hot streak that has now lasted two months. Simmons has hit .330 over his last 47 games.